[gnso-vi-feb10] assistance needed -- needs statements

["Mike O'Connor" <mike@xxxxxxxxxx>]

i was reflecting about something we did in the broadband negotiations -- and 
thinking that it might be useful for us as well.

one of the things we did early on was to describe what our constituents needed, 
without specifying how those needs would be met.  this was really helpful later 
on when we were down to negotiating specific solutions -- because we could 
remember back to those earlier broader discussions and figure out creative ways 
to get those conflicting needs met.

here are a few (very broad) examples...

-- the general form is [constituency/company/person] needs [something] in order 
to [do something]

-- broadband consumers need very high speeds in order to do lots of things (a 
big list would follow -- educate students, deliver advanced medical 
applications, conduct business, etc. etc.)

-- rural people need access to broadband in order to participate as equals in 
the world-wide Internet

-- carriers and providers need a clear, stable path to making a return on the 
investments they make in facilities

-- municipalities and other units of government need a way to intervene when 
the market can't support broadband facilities in their location

-- etc. etc...

i think it might be very useful for us to try to develop a similar list -- 
short statements describing what people need from a deal.  many of you have 
already included statements like that in proposals and emails, but it would 
help me (and hopefully you) to have them in one pile under this thread.  

please give it a try here for the rest of the work-week -- i'll summarize the 
results and roll them back out to you before our next call on Monday.  if it 
seems productive, we might devote 15 minutes of call time to expanding the list 
that we've started.

thanks,

mikey

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